Comments on: Even supercomputers not yet close to the raw power of human brain http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/ HPC News Without the Noise for Supercomputing Professionals | insideHPC Sun, 19 May 2013 10:46:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Hugh Rea http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-385517 Hugh Rea Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:48:17 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-385517 The brain is amazing for the size vs power as in supercomputer: You can fly a plane while listening to music and enjoying the taste of a candy bar. While the brain be busy running your body and you know nothing about what it is doing in your body. IMHO The brain is amazing for the size vs power as in supercomputer: You can fly a plane while listening to music and enjoying the taste of a candy bar. While the brain be busy running your body and you know nothing about what it is doing in your body. IMHO

]]> By: Are we right to fear computers in education – or in life? http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-379723 Are we right to fear computers in education – or in life? Mon, 29 Oct 2012 00:52:44 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-379723 [...] thinking. One human brain has many more nodes and networks than the largest computers today. According to Dharmendra Modha, director of cognitive computing at the IBM Almaden Research [...] [...] thinking. One human brain has many more nodes and networks than the largest computers today. According to Dharmendra Modha, director of cognitive computing at the IBM Almaden Research [...]

]]> By: Russ Stern http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-378302 Russ Stern Thu, 23 Aug 2012 05:03:48 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-378302 The supercomputer is fast - at what it does, what it is designed for. The human brain, though, has many advantages. It LEARNS. And does things automatically, sort of, after the eureka moment that locks in the 'tricks' it has learned. The short-cuts. When - someday, they learn how to make a computer mimic this way of doing things... then.. then we'll have true, 'supercomputers'. We could build androids.. that thought about how they would handle each task. Think about our vision. Our eye 'sees' wavelengths of light, reflected off of objects. These wavelengths are not even focused by our eyes, into coherent images ! Uh-uh. Our eye is terrible at focusing light. It is a single lens, and that means we 'see' a blur of colors. Our brain sorts things out. That is VERY cool ! The supercomputer is fast – at what it does, what it is designed for. The human brain, though, has many advantages. It LEARNS. And does things automatically, sort of, after the eureka moment that locks in the ‘tricks’ it has learned. The short-cuts. When – someday, they learn how to make a computer mimic this way of doing things… then.. then we’ll have true, ‘supercomputers’. We could build androids.. that thought about how they would handle each task.

Think about our vision. Our eye ‘sees’ wavelengths of light, reflected off of objects. These wavelengths are not even focused by our eyes, into coherent images ! Uh-uh. Our eye is terrible at focusing light. It is a single lens, and that means we ‘see’ a blur of colors. Our brain sorts things out. That is VERY cool !

]]> By: If humans were computer components – an analogy | Christopher Ashton http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-377201 If humans were computer components – an analogy | Christopher Ashton Sat, 30 Jun 2012 12:26:26 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-377201 [...] The brain. This controls the speed of our arithmetic, puzzle solving and reaction times. There isn’t a processor out there that is as powerful as the human brain; it would need to have 38 petahertz of processing power (or, in today’s SI multiple, 38 000 000 GHz)! It would also need 3,854 terabytes of memory. [1] [...] [...] The brain. This controls the speed of our arithmetic, puzzle solving and reaction times. There isn’t a processor out there that is as powerful as the human brain; it would need to have 38 petahertz of processing power (or, in today’s SI multiple, 38 000 000 GHz)! It would also need 3,854 terabytes of memory. [1] [...]

]]> By: Quora http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-376891 Quora Sat, 19 May 2012 08:08:58 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-376891 <strong>Why is machine learning not more widely used for medical diagnosis?...</strong> This was a fantastic answer and I'd like to thank you for taking the time to write it. I do want to differ with you on a couple of points. You say "I just find it sad that I allowed my optimistic ignorance of the human body to make me arrogant enough... Why is machine learning not more widely used for medical diagnosis?…

This was a fantastic answer and I’d like to thank you for taking the time to write it. I do want to differ with you on a couple of points. You say “I just find it sad that I allowed my optimistic ignorance of the human body to make me arrogant enough…

]]> By: كيف اكون جميلة http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-376592 كيف اكون جميلة Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:06:11 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-376592 the brain is more like a multi core system with a few thousand cores. It primarily differs from a PC in that most PCs have 4 cores or fewer and most algorithms are not inherently parallel. However, even the most basic neural operations are executed in parallel. the brain is more like a multi core system with a few thousand cores. It primarily differs from a PC in that most PCs have 4 cores or fewer and most algorithms are not inherently parallel. However, even the most basic neural operations are executed in parallel.

]]> By: 25 Facts You Should Know About Your Gray Matter | The Brainscape Blog: Learn How to Learn Faster http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-376338 25 Facts You Should Know About Your Gray Matter | The Brainscape Blog: Learn How to Learn Faster Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:43:18 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-376338 [...] It is estimated that the human brain has amazing raw computational power. If the human brain were translated into electronic bits and circuits, it would be the most amazingly powerful computer ever built. Scientists estimate that the brain can process somewhere between 10 to the 13th and 10 to the 16th operations per second. No computer built today can even come close to that kind of power. [...] [...] It is estimated that the human brain has amazing raw computational power. If the human brain were translated into electronic bits and circuits, it would be the most amazingly powerful computer ever built. Scientists estimate that the brain can process somewhere between 10 to the 13th and 10 to the 16th operations per second. No computer built today can even come close to that kind of power. [...]

]]> By: Quora http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-374913 Quora Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:03:32 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-374913 <strong>Roughly What 'Processing Power' does the Human Brain Equate to?...</strong> The best estimate I have seen, by Dharmendra Modha (http://www.almaden.ibm.com/cs/people/dmodha/) who is the head of the SyNAPSE project, is that the brain has 38 petaflops (thousand trillion operations per second) of processing power. SyNAPSE project:... Roughly What ‘Processing Power’ does the Human Brain Equate to?…

The best estimate I have seen, by Dharmendra Modha (http://www.almaden.ibm.com/cs/people/dmodha/) who is the head of the SyNAPSE project, is that the brain has 38 petaflops (thousand trillion operations per second) of processing power. SyNAPSE project:…

]]> By: Anonymous http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-374197 Anonymous Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:50:29 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-374197 Also, don't forget those times when you get some idea, you suddenly get it, you KNOW how to do it, but when you try to write all the steps it takes a long while... So, what I'm saying that when a brain is familiar with something and really needs it, it restores it it 0.000000001 seconds! Also, don’t forget those times when you get some idea, you suddenly get it, you KNOW how to do it, but when you try to write all the steps it takes a long while… So, what I’m saying that when a brain is familiar with something and really needs it, it restores it it 0.000000001 seconds!

]]> By: Anonymous http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-374196 Anonymous Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:46:02 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-374196 Well, if my brain wasn't occupied with constant monitoring of body temperature, sight, hearing, CO2/O2 monitoring, hormone level monitoring, respiration... THEN I would be able to compute million times better than a computer... I need to put my brain in a jar! Also, it wastes only 20 watts, super efficent! Well, if my brain wasn’t occupied with constant monitoring of body temperature, sight, hearing, CO2/O2 monitoring, hormone level monitoring, respiration… THEN I would be able to compute million times better than a computer… I need to put my brain in a jar! Also, it wastes only 20 watts, super efficent!

]]> By: rawpower http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-370282 rawpower Sat, 10 Sep 2011 22:05:25 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-370282 the brain is indeed powerful. I think you cant really compare the power of a brain, and a computer. They are two different things and should be looked at as such. Although where I stand on this topic is that the brain processes things like images, sounds, smells and textures, while at the same time keeping the body in check. If the entire brain was dedicated to mathematics, it would be faster than any computer the brain is indeed powerful. I think you cant really compare the power of a brain, and a computer. They are two different things and should be looked at as such. Although where I stand on this topic is that the brain processes things like images, sounds, smells and textures, while at the same time keeping the body in check. If the entire brain was dedicated to mathematics, it would be faster than any computer

]]> By: Liam http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-370130 Liam Sat, 10 Sep 2011 08:46:36 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-370130 The Brain has to keep people alive, the majority of its power goes into running organs and the visual information. That's why we can't accurately calculate numbers as well as a computer can. If we ever develop the technology of the human brain. It will be able to store vast amounts of information. Imagine the entirety of human knowledge in a single brain sized package. Every hard drive in the world ever fitting in 20 human brain sized drives. The Brain has to keep people alive, the majority of its power goes into running organs and the visual information. That’s why we can’t accurately calculate numbers as well as a computer can. If we ever develop the technology of the human brain. It will be able to store vast amounts of information. Imagine the entirety of human knowledge in a single brain sized package. Every hard drive in the world ever fitting in 20 human brain sized drives.

]]> By: Human Digital Cloud | Code Explode http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-323648 Human Digital Cloud | Code Explode Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:43:56 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-323648 [...] mind after sleep. I think I need to keep a journal of ideas like leonardo da vinchi. According to HPC,each of our human brains is about a 40 petaflop and 3.5 petabyte super computer. Considering that [...]

]]> By: Eugene Sisto http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-318413 Eugene Sisto Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:18:57 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-318413 Kilian, Your comment: "Well, my brain can definitely not resolve large linear systems at petaflops rates, the way even small clusters do by running HPL." Actually your brain has that capicity. Someone created and taught that computer how to do that. It didn't teach itself. Its brainless without a human brain. Kilian,
Your comment:

“Well, my brain can definitely not resolve large linear systems at petaflops rates, the way even small clusters do by running HPL.”

Actually your brain has that capicity. Someone created and taught that computer how to do that. It didn’t teach itself. Its brainless without a human brain.

]]> By: Chaos http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-265980 Chaos Sat, 30 Oct 2010 01:21:20 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-265980 It is hard to say anything about raw power of human brain in computer terminology. It doesn't work like conventional computer. It's like comparing apple with pear. I think real power of human brain comes from optimization. It is highly optimized on what it does. For-example, picture processing. When we look at a picture we don't see all points of the picture in high detail. We see in high definition only at the focus point. Rest of the picture is seen in blur. But we move our eyes quickly and see the important and critical parts of the picture and process it with minimum amount of power. Then we define what is in the picture a human, a tree or a car. Even if we have more raw power than a super computer that's why we can't do mathematical calculations faster than a simple pocket calculator. It is hard to say anything about raw power of human brain in computer terminology. It doesn’t work like conventional computer. It’s like comparing apple with pear.

I think real power of human brain comes from optimization. It is highly optimized on what it does.
For-example, picture processing. When we look at a picture we don’t see all points of the picture in high detail. We see in high definition only at the focus point. Rest of the picture is seen in blur.
But we move our eyes quickly and see the important and critical parts of the picture and process it with minimum amount of power. Then we define what is in the picture a human, a tree or a car.

Even if we have more raw power than a super computer that’s why we can’t do mathematical calculations faster than a simple pocket calculator.

]]> By: scms - Turing’s Test & The Stock Market http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-230592 scms - Turing’s Test & The Stock Market Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:50:14 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-230592 [...] the challenge machines face is simply a matter of raw computing power. It is currently estimated by some experts that the human brain can perform some 38,000 trillion operations per second (that’s 3.8×1016 [...] [...] the challenge machines face is simply a matter of raw computing power. It is currently estimated by some experts that the human brain can perform some 38,000 trillion operations per second (that’s 3.8×1016 [...]

]]> By: Would You Like to Have a Better Memory Naturally? | Happy-Healthy-Successful http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-223079 Would You Like to Have a Better Memory Naturally? | Happy-Healthy-Successful Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:24:30 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-223079 [...] scientific invention and discoveries, the brain remains a mystery. However, the brain can experience certain disorders, among which memory loss is [...] [...] scientific invention and discoveries, the brain remains a mystery. However, the brain can experience certain disorders, among which memory loss is [...]

]]> By: Turing’s Test & The Stock Market « Mine Your Business http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-213130 Turing’s Test & The Stock Market « Mine Your Business Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:54:03 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-213130 [...] the challenge machines face is simply a matter of raw computing power. It is currently estimated by some experts that the human brain can perform some 38,000 trillion operations per second (that’s [...] [...] the challenge machines face is simply a matter of raw computing power. It is currently estimated by some experts that the human brain can perform some 38,000 trillion operations per second (that’s [...]

]]> By: Joshua http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-184958 Joshua Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:09:09 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-184958 Are they talking about the conscious or unconscious power of the human brain? Eg; processing vision which is very complicated compared to processing mathematics. With that in mind the only thing that computers are better than us at is maths. And some researchers suggest that we are able to retrieve information much faster than conventional computers. (But with some exceptions, of course) Are they talking about the conscious or unconscious power of the human brain? Eg; processing vision which is very complicated compared to processing mathematics.

With that in mind the only thing that computers are better than us at is maths. And some researchers suggest that we are able to retrieve information much faster than conventional computers. (But with some exceptions, of course)

]]> By: John West http://insidehpc.com/2009/03/12/even-supercomputers-not-yet-close-to-the-raw-power-of-human-brain/#comment-154546 John West Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:30:24 +0000 http://insidehpc.com/?p=3966#comment-154546 Kilian - along the lines of "a hammer makes a terrible screwdriver?" :-) Yes, I agree. I'm not sure what the drive is to coax a computer to act like a brain. We have 6 billion brains already. How about we build something that we don't already have 6 billion of? Kilian – along the lines of “a hammer makes a terrible screwdriver?” :-)

Yes, I agree. I’m not sure what the drive is to coax a computer to act like a brain. We have 6 billion brains already. How about we build something that we don’t already have 6 billion of?

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